Most casinos have Real Money Video Poker as a standard product. The machines hosting the game are generally located on the same floor as the slot machine banks.
As a result, they frequently serve as a palate refresher for slot machine gamers. Instead of being at the mercy of fate, video poker players can take some control over their destiny.
The video poker sector in Pennsylvania’s live casinos is thriving. The scene will only grow as prominent casino brands across the state launch online casinos featuring video poker games. Continue reading to know what is video poker and its specifics.
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What Exactly is Video Poker in PA?
A computerized form of five-card draw poker is called video poker. The goal is for the players to construct a winning five-card hand. What defines a winning hand differs per game.
Video poker or slot machines are frequently grouped, regardless of terms of game class and in the casino. On the other hand, the sense of power that a player has over a video poker game creates a significant distinction between the two.
In particular, there is the right way to play every hand of video poker Pennsylvania. Numerous publications are available to help players choose the online poker machines optimal statistical approach to each hand.
As it occurs, you may take these books with you when playing. Casinos see no problem with perfect players since, as you might expect, there remains a house edge over perfect performance.
However, playing flawlessly reduces the house edge to fractions of a percent point. So, you may get a lot of bang for your buck playing video poker, and you can even win some money.
As a result, the payoff percentages mentioned in each game version below are computed assuming faultless play. If you play less than perfectly, the proportion will shift further in favor of the video poker online casino.
Another factor that influences a player’s chances of winning is the amount of coins wagered. For the highest coin play, poker machine online typically have a hefty reward. To qualify, you must typically wager five coins on a single game.
However, these top levels of play may also include poker machines online and progressive jackpots. So, if at all possible, play at the highest level in order to maximize the expected value of your bets.
READ MORE: 120 Free Spins for Real Money
Are Video Poker Games Legal in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Video poker games are permitted in all Pennsylvania casinos.
They were made legal by the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act of 2004. The legislation mandated the registration, licensing, and oversight of casinos, including racetrack casinos in Pennsylvania.
As a result, all 12 Pennsylvania casinos contain numerous rows of video poker machines. Private persons and businesses, on the other hand, have no right to operate free online video poker machines.
Last year, there was a significant bust over some private video poker usage. Anthony Zenner allegedly made millions by running an unauthorized video poker machine ring. So video poker is acceptable as long as it is played in video poker casinos.
How to Play Free Video Poker in Pennsylvania
Residents of Pennsylvania can now enjoy online poker machine. But what if you’ve never before played? Not to worry. There are various video poker website opportunities for Pennsylvania residents to practice video poker for free before wagering real money, like the Borgata video poker.
Initially, Pennsylvania residents can utilize Chumba Casino to hone their video poker skills. To be clear, the only Chumba video poker game is Jacks or Better.
There are also other online video poker casinos variations available. The Chumba version, on the other hand, contains a very crucial feature that ought to make it your primary destination.
Specifically, Chumba Casino’s Jacks or Better offers a % calculator to determine the likelihood that your draw will lead to any winning hands. This tool will enable you to experiment with various play online video poker methods and approaches.
When you’re ready, you may try out the many games offered at Parx Casino Online or SugarHouse Casino4Fun. Both sites include approximately 15 different types of online casino video poker for free play. To log in and participate, you will only need to register.
Make an effort to check out each version to determine which form of video poker you prefer. Everyone has favorites, and websites like this are a terrific way to find out what yours are.
Types of Online Video Poker Games in Pennsylvania
A short glance at a video poker game listing can be intimidating. It has so many variations that it may appear challenging to master them all. Surprisingly, the many forms of video poker are all essentially the same. The differences between the classic games are mostly minor modifications.
In regards to odds, video poker machines repay more than 96% of the money played into them. Based on this percentage, video poker is a far better bet for slot machines.
The many versions play with the odds, at least in terms of chronology. Which type you prefer is determined by how much variation you are willing to accept.
- Jacks or Better
- Deuces Wild
- Bonus Poker, Double Bonus Poker, Double Double Bonus Poker
Transitioning to Real Money Video Poker
Once you’ve mastered all of the different forms of free play video poker, you might want to play the real money version. If this is the case, both sites, as mentioned earlier, would gladly assist you in making the switch to the real money side.
You will now have to re-register for an online video poker for money profile.
However, Hollywood Online Casino does include online video poker. Unlike Parx, which only has Jacks or Better, Hollywood has the whole IGT Game King suite, which includes Deuces Wild and Double Double Bonus Poker.
As a result, Pennsylvania residents can select from Hollywood, Parx, and Chumba for the time being.
Each online gambling site will have several methods for depositing funds. Any of the following techniques may be accessible on your preferred site:
- ACH/E-check
- Visa/MasterCard
- Bank transfer
- PayNearMe
- PayPal/Skrill
- Wire transfer
- Cash in-person at the casino cage
Check the promotional deals on the site before clicking “submit,” as many best video poker online casinos will have options to increase your deposit amount.
Apps for Video Poker
All PA online casinos have video poker apps for Android devices.
For Apple customers, the issue is a little more complicated. Hollywood Casino is the only one among the PA casinos with an iOS app. The bad news is that the game library is relatively tiny. The good news is that the Game King video poker suite constitutes a single of the titles offered.
PlaySugarHouse provides a system that permits casino play through the iPhone browser. However, it does not currently offer video poker. Parx does not support iPhone users. Furthermore, Chumba Casino is entirely browser-based. As a result, it makes no difference which device is used for logging in.
In terms of the play video poker online games themselves, they perform admirably. They are absolutely playable on both laptops and mobile devices, and it’s evident that all three sites have gone to great lengths to ensure that they are optimized for mobile consumers.
On the other hand, the video poker online casinos smartphone versions have a clunky quality that may be disturbing. Perhaps it’s challenging to describe lag, but it indicates some discomfort on behalf of mobile developers.
That being said, we’re nitpicking a little here. There’s little doubt that most folks will be able to access these three sites and try out their video poker play free.
Bonuses and Reward Systems
When you play at a casino online, you may be able to participate in the casino’s loyalty program. Any of these best online video poker promos are undoubtedly open to video poker players.
A video poker player, on the other hand, may find it far more challenging to earn the same amount of reward points as its slot-machine counterparts. Because of the high return-to-player ratio, casinos frequently award fewer points for video poker free play.
SugarHouse, for example, determines how many points to offer in its iRush Rewards program depending on the return-to-player ratio. For example, a game that returns 94% of bets to players will pay points at a higher rate than a game that returns 96%.
As previously noted, video poker pays out a large proportion to gamblers, typically in excess of 99%. As a result of this, video poker does not earn points quickly at SugarHouse.
Similarly, Parx prioritizes slot play above video poker play. Rather than using a formula, Parx’s Xclub awards one point for every $20 spent on slots and one point for every $60 played on video poker. Playing video poker is thus one-third less profitable than playing slots.
Online Video Poker vs. Live Casino Video Poker
Because all of the games are machine-based, there is not much distinction between online video poker and video poker offered in live casinos.
The advantages of online video poker are that you don’t have to wait for your time to play a specific version, and there are numerous variations of legal online video poker to choose from.
Furthermore, you can easily transition from one option to the next. As a result, games move faster than they would in a live casino.